The police whistle pierces the air, making me jump, tearing my eyes from the chocolate maker. My heartbeat speeds up rapidly and my gaze darts to the gate.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYnZqUcB5w
A young girl with dark skin and and mess of frizzy curls steps back as a group of police officers push past. It's Noodle with her laundry cart, which reminds me, I need to see if I can catch her to bring her a new book from the library later.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1eagfYyd7
"Alright folks," calls the lead policeman. "Nothing to see here. Just a small group of people defying the laws of gravity." He makes a gesture to the following officers. "Poke 'em boys."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5R2shLxIZ
Everyone around suddenly disperses with such speed, leaving me alone. I scamper after the closest people, glancing back at Mr. Wonka as he calls something out. "That's the Hoverchoc, sir, that's the point." 111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmq67fhdgSt
A dark skinned officer steps up to him, telling him something I can't make out. 111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Oby8nf1aX
I slow to a stop by one of the shops, drawn by what must be curiosity. 111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxHmbeAjg1
The lead police officer pushes roughly past the young man, yanking his jar of sovereigns away.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXuPN5PIzE
"Hey!" Mr. Wonka turns and starts after the officer, his expression one of shock. "What're you doing?!"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUATTnXc4r
"Don't worry. It's going to a good cause. Sick kids or something." He doesn't even bother to glance at the man as he tosses the words over his shoulder.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjArM25RrGA
Wonka looks back at the dark skinned officer, his expression forlorn. 111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPPoUYRciR
The police chief approaches me, and I duck behind the building, watching him stride past, pulling a floating person along. It's not against the law to watch, at least I don't think it is. But that doesn't mean I want to run into him.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjhlHqiGcl
After a moment when I don't see him coming back, I lean back around the shop.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1TT8lObmp
Mr. Wonka trudges back across the square, picking up his suitcase and slinging it over his shoulder on a strap. Then he picks up his cane which has somehow shrunk back to its original size. Then he starts forward with such an air of dejection that I decide right then and there to follow him.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7BiyuatOH
He walks out of the Gallery slowly, his eyes on the road tiles. I trail him from a distance, but I still flinch when a beefy man slams into him, sending him stumbling backwards.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQG4JgsFyd
"Watch where you're going!" barks the man, shoving past Wonka unnecessarily.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PeAsjvrue
I dart out of his way, lowering my eyes as I quicken my steps to catch up to Mr. Wonka. 111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3mnqSSQDz
"Great." He sounds despondent. "Now what am I going to do?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINamNtUaeQ
I stop just behind him, scrambling for something to say. I open my mouth, but decide maybe he won't want to know I followed him. "Why are you stopped in the middle of the path?" I try to keep my voice soft.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgUJcXdJar
He turns to face me, something flickering in his eyes. Eyes that are brown with an undercurrent of green. He shrugs, his shoulders slumping, and drops his gaze to the ground again.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rSzyASPHP
Something bubbles in my chest. Irritation with the people who crushed this young man's dream. "I saw what happened," I say, trying not to sound too angry. "I don't understand why they'd take your money. That seemed completely unnecessary." My hands, held loosely at my sides, slowly start fisting.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1s4JgacoYf
"The one officer gave me a sovereign to pay for my room." He looks up again, his eyes meeting mine for a brief second.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWtgmlmQ4G
I blow out a breath, forcing my fists to unclench. "That was.. kind."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcEIwKrcJX
"Did you get to try a Hoverchoc?" The hope in his voice makes me want to lie and say yes. I resist the urge to tilt my head and study him further. Did he see me in the crowd?111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2AltIn49X
I shake my head. "I wasn't close enough to grab one." His face falls, his expression turning disappointed. "But it's okay," I quickly add, struck with the need to make him happier. "I'm afraid of heights anyway, so I don't mind missing out." 111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqssRuSBs4A
He lets out a slow breath, staring past me.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0kP7QTSl3
I fidget, knowing I should walk away, but still feeling the need to stay. Somehow he knew I was in the crowd. And something about that makes me feel drawn to him. Nothing about me from my brown eyes, brown hair, or my average height is particularly noticeable.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CDVpEeGzr
Another person winds around us, stopped in the middle of the path. Which reminds me...111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡem1ttvrWVL
"Why are you stopped in the middle of the path anyway?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1yqZ34PQK
"I dropped my sovereign.."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXr73wXpo3u
"Oh no!" I lift a hand to cover my mouth, the movement causing my other hand to bump against my pouch of sovereigns in my dress. I lower my hand, suddenly struck with a thought.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvX09IQoKjr
He shrugs again. "I don't know how I'm going to pay for my room now." 111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNzyWGypxV
I slip my hand into my pocket, my cheeks warming ever so slightly when I notice his eyes on my movement. I pull out the pouch, lifting my other hand up to open it.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkqjq4v30a
"What're you doing?" He watches me as I tug open the drawstrings.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGG3p0PmmUK
"Helping you." I pull out a few silver sovereigns, tugging the strings closed and slipping the pouch back in my pocket.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVAT8Kjt21
He smiles a small, soft smile that makes my heart skip a beat. "I can't accept that.."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5I3TpmaTQJ
I reach out and grab his hand.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLeW4OnSPLp
"Your hands are so cold!" he cries. And yet he doesn't tug away.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVONW7efDd
"Why thank you," I say dryly. I take the opportunity to press the coins into his palm. 111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdQmfABilj
He tries to push the coins back into my hands, his eyes dropping to my frayed dress. "I really can't take these."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNIorJlvig
His refusal makes me more determined. He has nothing, and yet he won't take my money. "I insist." I turn his hand over, pressing his fingers in so that he's holding the sovereigns.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaw4db9PU3W
He stares at my hands and I let go, taking a step back. I resist the urge to fiddle with my skirt, instead lifting my chin slightly, daring him to refuse the sovereigns again. He doesn't say anything, staring at my face, something a bit like awe flickering across his features. 111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNthiEqgCuY
Features I suddenly want to study...111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjkGxZwiXz
"Think of it as an advance payment." I say the first words that come to mind. I step back again, trying to force myself away. "Another time you can give me the chocolate I'm paying you for."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFYueCFF9K
"When will I do that?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJO1zg3zITW
Never, most likely. "The next time you see me, I assume."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkD6nTQlMBA
"When will that be?" His eyes glimmer green, begging me to answer.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ864cFv4oNK
I force my feet to take another step backward. "I don't know." My response borders on a whisper.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcyqRurvyp
I turn away, ready to stride away as fast as possible. I need to get away from his eyes, and his rumpled hair. I need to get away from the sharp line of his jaw, and his expressive face.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8q3S4kP9o
"I don't even know your name!" Something in his voice halts me in my steps.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhceq2rkmD5
I look over my shoulder. "Ember." And then I surge forward, sliding between passerby.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhmpylmz5u
I slip between person after person, trying to keep from shoving and leaving a ripple of my presence.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4EkOi7aIt
"Ember?" The sound of my name, makes my steps falter. "Ember? Ember!"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWJ5Dxs4iR
Is he coming after me? I slow my steps and glance over my shoulder.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqTXmrw1Vw
Sure enough, I see his coat as he pushes through the people toward me.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06gDb4hiq1
"Ember!" He catches my eyes. "Wait! Please!"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1ib5oQaE6
My muscles are poised to run; my breath caught in my throat.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauRvmceDB5
He reaches me, and I tilt my head back slightly to meet his eyes. "Yes?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKVIU6Zeyw
"I'm Willy. Willy Wonka." He smiles at me, a lopsided smile.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtaBByhwABa
"I know. I heard you say it in the Gallery."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYkTOIFzTG
"I know. I saw you there." His expression grows animated. "Did you like my song?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4H4Y0MI6cX
"I.. I did actually."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEOA1ecAKH
He smiles again, shifting slightly. "I have something for you."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8SKHbtwSG
I step back, thrusting my hands into my skirt. "I'm not taking the sovereigns back, Mr. Wonka."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnQx79yUUP
He pauses for barely an instant. "Call me Willy."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56Gf5hqv28
"Alright... Willy. But I'm still not taking the sovereigns back. I want you to have them. To pay for your room."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBwwFjSFuP
"I only need one to pay for my room." His lopsided smile returns, making my heart trip over itself.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDqT5gQLicP
He leans forward quickly, reaching behind my ear. I find myself so surprised by his movement that I don't even pull away. 111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDgw8i2etZd
His hand brushes my ear as he pulls it back with an expression of mock surprise. "Look what I found."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpKm0mkRXG
In his hand is a Hoverchoc, a teal, teardrop shaped chocolate. But it certainly wasn't there before. "How'd you do that?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhG6ipJvc9
He smiles. "Magic."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXLCmTwAeb
I stare at the chocolate as my mouth waters at the thought of chocolate, something I didn't get the chance to buy despite my intentions. "I thought you sold them all."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡye5AND9Ij0
"All but one." He grabs one of my hands and tugs it out from my skirt. "And it's for you." He gently pries open my hand, his eyes glittering brown, then green. He presses the chocolate into my palm, pressing my fingers over it in an imitation of my very own action a few minutes ago.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjEtDezQCl
I lick my lips, staring at his incredibly warm hands resting on mine. "Thank you, Willy."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyaxxYnVvQ
He smiles again. "You did pay me for chocolate, remember?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs118lCdZSP
"Yes, I remember." I look up into his earnest face. "You do remember that I said I was afraid of heights, right?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Zjo7jI8CX
"Sometimes, when we face our fears, we find that they're not so scary anymore."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOE0jTOX0r
I gently tug my hand out of his. "And sometimes, when we face our fears, we find that they're just as scary, if not more that we remember them being."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnUADhR0pg
He looks confused, tilting his head and looking down at me.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVKPfmXG8u
A tiny shiver downs down my spine, bringing something warm rather than the expected cold. "Thank you for the Hoverchoc, Willy. Even though I have no clue where you managed to pull it from. But I'm not going to eat it... I'm sorry."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSNJf7c8Lt
His expression falls slightly. "That's.. alright." He takes in a breath through his mouth. "But I still want you to have it." His voice turns slightly wry. "Even if you payed too much for it."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFydEt4dGeL
I blink, trying really hard not to think about how sweet he is. "Thank you." I slide the Hoverchoc into my dress pocket, unsure what else to do with it.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjb0DJlmkAY
When he doesn't make a move to walk away, I take a step back. "I should be going.."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUaraAszo1q
He smiles. "I'll come with you."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5sdwXMoLP
I blink, opening my mouth to tell him he can't before realizing that it's my day off, I don't have to go back to the inn. At least, not yet. I slowly close my mouth.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZH4YXC0Nt
"So, where are we going?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BOHU7gjil
"I don't know."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgAcb4rNE5
"That sounds like fun, let's go!" He grabs my hand and tugs me with him as he starts forward, his cane tapping against the tiles with every other step.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Dve3lBOLB
"Willy!" I laugh slightly. "I meant I don't know where to go, not that I want to go somewhere called 'I don't know'!"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRZq7Og6Mr
His steps don't slow, and he tosses me a glance that sends a thrill of excitement down my spine. "Then I guess we'll just explore!"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YTFZ4CXFb
"Don't you have to go back and pay for your room?" I ask in a last attempt to prevent him from spending any more time with me.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKGV8iJxme
"Not for a while." He smiles, giving his cane a merry twirl.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACCenMo6kF
For a while he tugs me along with him, and I follow, slightly breathless. We reach a street packed with storefronts and passerby.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0wnsSCEue
He slows our pace to better weave through the people. "Do you have anything you want to do?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALvwfmE0Sm
I open my mouth the respond, but my stomach takes that moment to remind me that I skipped breakfast and that by now it must be close to noon. "I'm a little hungry," I admit.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLRx5QHloo
"Me too!" He immediately tugs me into a line of people waiting to order something from a cart up ahead.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWCysY8sgW
I laugh, amused by his impulsiveness.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWS1Ugck7Mf
"Tell me about yourself, Ember." My name coming off his tongue sends a little shiver up my spine, another strangely warm one.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaz9ugYOci
"Well, I'm 17. I live and work at an inn. Uh.. red is my favorite color." I gesture a bit sheepishly at his coat.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuodiqnD1B3
"I'm 17 too!" Willy replies excitedly. He then smooths his hand down his coat. "It is a nice shade, isn't it? I got it from a magician in London."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqrwR9hnoq
"You've been to London?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtEYXl13UV
"I've been to many places. I spent seven years of my life upon the ocean."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOA7HoTh5C
"Why?" I ask curiously.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxugFLrGm8i
His expression changes, matching his mood shift. "I wanted to travel. Collect the best ingredients for my chocolate."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJrCUqI7DK
I nod as we shuffle forward a few steps in line. "Seems reasonable. Do you have parents somewhere around the world, waiting with bated breath to hear when you become a famous chocolate maker?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXrTF72aA7
His expression falls further and he shakes his head.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSMULKDVEH
I reach up and put a hand on his shoulder, wanting him to know I feel the pain I can see in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Willy. It's hard to loose good parents."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Tsqw4Wwqz
We shuffle forward in line a few more times before he looks back up and shrugs. Then he reaches his own hand up and puts it on top of mine.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP61l8Goz2y
I slide my hand off, unsure if there's anything else I could say to this fascinating young man. To my surprise, he lets his hand come with mine, and then we're holding hands again.111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfHzWFZTHK
We wait in silence another moment before he turns to me, a question in his eyes. "What about you, Ember? You have an unusual name."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vd8XktGES
A soft pang clenches my chest for a moment. "I suppose I do."111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtZkIgKkAB
"You said you live at the inn you work at. Why don't you live with your parents?"111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbKsjuE32O
I blink rapidly, trying to push back the tears that have sprung to my eyes. I haven't cried for a long time. I'm not about to start in front of Willy. He's still a stranger after all. "They're... well... they died."
I just want you all to know that I don't know Wonka's cannon age and just picked 17 T-T111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvK77SwXFo
Also I have no idea where he got his coat either..
I hope you enjoyed the new chapter :3111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1GBHBDTLR
Let me know what you thought! :D
and then Add to home screen.